As expected, Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona has reacted in fury after War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Kelly will be receiving a formal letter of censure, and his retirement rank and pay is now being reviewed.
Hegseth made the move after Kelly, a Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut, participated in a video in November that called for U.S. military service members to disobey orders from their Commander in Chief.
From his official X account, Kelly blasted out the following statement, raging against Hegseth’s review of his record.
Over twenty-five years in the U.S. Navy, thirty-nine combat missions, and four missions to space, I risked my life for this country and to defend our Constitution – including the First Amendment rights of every American to speak out. I never expected that the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense would attack me for doing exactly that.
My rank and retirement are things that I earned through my service and sacrifice for this country. I got shot at. I missed holidays and birthdays. I commanded a space shuttle mission while my wife Gabby recovered from a gunshot wound to the head– all while proudly wearing the American flag on my shoulder. Generations of servicemembers have made these same patriotic sacrifices for this country, earning the respect, appreciation, and rank they deserve.
Pete Hegseth wants to send the message to every single retired servicemember that if they say something he or Donald Trump doesn’t like, they will come after them the same way. It’s outrageous and it is wrong. There is nothing more un-American than that.
If Pete Hegseth, the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in our country’s history, thinks he can intimidate me with a censure or threats to demote me or prosecute me, he still doesn’t get it. I will fight this with everything I’ve got — not for myself, but to send a message back that Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump don’t get to decide what Americans in this country get to say about their government.
Over twenty-five years in the U.S. Navy, thirty-nine combat missions, and four missions to space, I risked my life for this country and to defend our Constitution – including the First Amendment rights of every American to speak out. I never expected that the President of the…
— Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) January 5, 2026
Kelly then posted a video statement from his personal X account.
Four generations of my family have served our country. Service is in my blood. The President wouldn’t know anything about that. pic.twitter.com/a4OBrYKsUe
— Captain Mark Kelly (@CaptMarkKelly) January 5, 2026
Kelly is getting some pushback on his temper tantrum. Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet replied, “Sure, you earned your rank, and then you earned your demotion.”
Sure, you earned your rank, and then you earned your demotion.
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) January 5, 2026
Another retired Naval officer re-posted a statement he had blasted out to Kelly in November.
The statement reads, in part, “As a fellow retired Naval Officer, I think your resume is the exact reason you should know better, Mr. Kelly. Having recently retired, I can tell you that we already face a problem with discipline in the DOD (DOW) and your ilk encouraging sedition is detrimental to readiness and will cost our service, dearly, in the long run.”
You never responded to me last time, so I’ll share again, Mark. From one retired Naval Officer to another. https://t.co/EYFgO4em23
— Commodore Boomer (@NFTBoomer1) January 5, 2026
More responses below…
Blow me, “Captain.” Nobody is above the law and you broke it.
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) January 5, 2026
You are a disgrace to everyone who wears the uniform.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) January 5, 2026
Next time don’t tell our troops to disregard orders from the President.
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) January 5, 2026
Thank you for your service. Too bad you sold your integrity and honor for a seditious 30 second video. That’s on you, not DJT.
— Right Wing Jewess (@RightWingJewess) January 6, 2026
Sedition is not protected speech, Lieutenant.
You should have been court martial for conduct unbecoming an officer.
You represent this country in an official capacity and are held to a higher standard.
Be thankful you’re not in jail, where you should be.
— Robert McLaws (@robertmclaws) January 5, 2026
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